The Bat Cages
by the green lama
Summary: The Venture has just left Skull Island, considerably lighter than when it arrived. Englehorn goes in search of a grieving Jimmy, though offering comfort is hardly what he's best at. Short, maybe sweet story that should have been included in the film.


**A/N:** The idea for this came into my head after watching the film. I think it's missing a scene something along the lines of this. Extended version of DVD sometime in the future, perhaps?

Enjoy, and please leave me a review!

**The Bat Cages**

Captain Englehorn surveyed his crew sadly. The men carried out their jobs silently, grieving the many of their number they'd been forced to leave behind on the island. They were hardworking, but there were far too few of them, far too few.

Sighing deeply, the Captain turned away. His sharp blue eyes found the slowly receding bulk of Skull Island, where so many of the crew still lay. It had pained everyone to leave them, but there was no way all of the fallen seamen could have been brought back.

The ship's wheel was worn and smooth as ever in his hands; the usual yellow glow still emanated from the electric lamp above his head, but little else was familiar. He glanced over his shoulder, half expecting to see a big American first mate leaning over the map, but the cabin was empty. Hours later, he would go down to the galley, only to find no cook.

A small, sad smile slipped onto his face: he had never expected to miss the infamous _porridge à la walnut._

His eyes drifted upwards from the deck, coming to rest on the crow's nest, unoccupied at present. Where was Jimmy? Englehorn hadn't seen the boy since they'd left Skull Island.

"Mr Campbell!" he called. Seconds later, the face of the crew member in question appeared round the door, awaiting his Captain's orders. "Take over for a while," Englehorn told him, stepping back from the helm, "I have something to do."

"Aye, Cap'n," the Scotsman replied. He took hold of the wheel, and the Captain left the bridge swiftly.

* * *

Englehorn could hear the beast breathing before he could see it.

He skipped the last few rungs of the ladder and landed on the straw-covered, dirty floor of the hold with a thump. The colossal gorilla come to be known as Kong was on his back in the largest, strongest enclosure the Venture was in possession of, which was still far too small, tied down with almost impossibly thick rope and the best knots the crew had to offer.

Englehorn could see the petite blonde figure of Ann Darrow on the floor by the cage, leaning against the bars. Sensing his presence, she turned round, fixing her tear-filled eyes on his. She was still wearing her muddy, slightly damp night gown, unable to tear herself away from Kong long enough to change. There was anger in her glance momentarily, but she ignored him and went back to weeping.

As he walked further into the hold, Englehorn caught sight of Driscoll. The playwright-turned-hero was watching Ann with pity-filled lovers' eyes, though he was clearly weary and grieving himself after his own adventures. The Captain, however, was not looking for the mournful Americans, and he passed them quickly.

The hold was quiet, unusually quiet. Englehorn was accustomed to hearing the innocent chattering of Choy whenever he came down here, but now only the creaking of the cages and crates disturbed the silence.

As he walked further and further from Ann and Jack, Englehorn heard another sound: soft, pitiful sobs. He cast a glance around at his surroundings. The bat cages: he might've known.

"Jimmy!" he said softly.

The sobs stopped instantaneously. Englehorn rounded a corner and saw the boy, crouched behind a stack of cages. His tear stained face looked up at the Captain in fright.

"Skipper!"

Englehorn didn't say anything. Now that he'd found Jimmy, he wasn't sure of what to do next. Giving comfort and reassurance had never really been his forte in life.

"I'll get back to work right away," Jimmy said, scrambling to his feet and jamming his cap on his head.

Still Englehorn said nothing, but sat down heavily on a crate, barring Jimmy's path. The boy sat back down, watching the Captain uncertainly. They sat in awkward silence.

"Mr Hayes?" Englehorn asked at length. Jimmy nodded, tears welling in his eyes again. "He was a brave man," the Captain continued, still feeling uncomfortable in such a situation.

"He said it wasn't about being brave," Jimmy mumbled.

"He was right, I suppose. He usually was."

Englehorn couldn't see Jimmy's face, concealed as it was by his cap, but tried to imagine the pain of loss. The youth got to his feet.

"Sorry, skipper. I'll go back to my work now."

Englehorn stood too and laid a hand on Jimmy's shoulder.

"I've got to get this godforsaken ship back to New York," he said, "We're missing many good men, Mr Hayes among them. You've got to help me, Jimmy."

"Yes Cap'n."

Englehorn tried to smile reassuringly. "Good." He lifted his hand from Jimmy's shoulder and let the boy scamper away to his favourite post in the crow's nest, a dog-eared library book tucked into his belt.

**-The End-**

**A/N:** Thanks for reading, I hope you liked it! Any reviews will be very much appreciated!

lama :D


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